The present invention relates to the field of antennas and is more particularly concerned with steerable offset antennas for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals.
It is well known in the art to use steerable (or tracking) antennas to communicate with a relatively moving target. Especially in the aerospace industry, such steerable antennas preferably need to have high gain, low mass, and high reliability. One way to achieve such an antenna system is to provide a fixed feed source, thereby eliminating performance degradations otherwise associated with a moving feed source. These degradations include losses due to mechanical rotary joints, flexible waveguides, long-length RF cables associated with cable wrap units mounted on rotary actuators, or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,788 granted on Mar. 28, 2000 to Seavey discloses a tracking antenna system that is substantially heavy and includes a large quantity of moving components that reduce the overall reliability of the system. Also, the steering angle range of the system is limited by the fixed angle between the boresite of the offset paraboloidal reflector and the kappa axis determined by the distance between the offset ellipsoidal subreflector and the offset paraboloidal reflector; a wide steering angle range requiring a large distance there between, resulting in a large antenna system that would not be practical especially for spaceborne applications.
Furthermore, especially for LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite application where microwave band signals or the like are used, the smaller the elevation angle above horizontal is, the larger the signal loss and/or attenuation due to the normal atmosphere and rainfalls is. This is mainly due to the distance the signal travels there through. Accordingly, it is preferable to have a higher antenna gain at low elevation angle to compensate therefore, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,689 granted to Yamamoto et al. on Jul. 17, 2001.
Although such a configuration provides for a variable antenna gain profile over the elevation angle range, between the lowest elevation angle and the maximum angle of ninety (90) degrees, at which point the antenna reflected signal substantially points at the zenith when the antenna is used on a ground station or at nadir when the antenna is on the earth facing panel of a spacecraft, it does not allow for the antenna gain to follow a desired predetermined signal gain profile. Thus imposing an antenna signal gain higher than really required over a significant portion of the elevation angle range as well as a lower signal gain there across than really required over another significant portion of the elevation angle range.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a steerable offset antenna with a fixed feed source.
An advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna eliminates the signal losses associated with conventional rotary joints and long flexible coaxial cables.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna has an antenna reflected signal coverage region spanning over a conical angle with minimum blockage from its own structure, whenever allowed by the supporting platform.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna provides a high gain and/or an excellent polarization purity.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna has simple actuation devices as well as convenient locations thereof.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna provides for a predetermined or desired signal gain profile over the antenna reflected signal coverage region, preferably providing a substantially uniform signal to the target wherever its position within the coverage region.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the steerable offset antenna can be mounted on either an orbiting spacecraft or a fixed station and track a ground station or an orbiting spacecraft respectively, or be mounted on a spacecraft and track another spacecraft.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steerable antenna for allowing transmission of an electromagnetic signal between a fixed feed source or image thereof and a target moving within an antenna coverage region, the electromagnetic signal having a gain varying with the position of the target within the coverage region according to a predetermined signal gain profile thereacross, the coverage region defining a region peripheral edge, the antenna comprises a reflector defining a reflector surface for reflecting the electromagnetic signal between the feed source or image thereof and the target, the reflector surface defining a focal point, a reflector center point and a reflector normal axis substantially perpendicular to the reflector surface at the reflector center point, the reflector center point and the focal point being spaced relative to each other by a focal point-to-center point distance, the reflector center point and the feed source or image thereof being spaced relative to each other by a feed-to-center point distance along a feed axis, the feed-to-center point distance being substantially equal to the focal point-to-center point distance, the reflector normal axis and the feed axis defining a common offset plane; a first rotating means for rotating the reflector about a rotation axis extending generally perpendicularly from the offset plane in a position generally adjacent the reflector center point so that the antenna provides a nominal signal gain profile over the coverage region, the reflector defining a reference position wherein the focal point substantially intersects the feed axis and corresponding to a nominal signal gain being substantially maximum with the electromagnetic signal substantially pointing at the region peripheral edge; and a gain altering means for altering the nominal signal gain profile so that the latter matches the predetermined signal gain profile; whereby the reflector in combination with the gain altering means are rotatable about the rotation axis so as to steer the electromagnetic signal according to the predetermined signal gain profile at the target moving across the coverage region.
Typically, the reflector surface is shaped to alter the nominal signal gain profile so that the latter matches the predetermined signal gain profile, the shaped reflector surface being the gain altering means.
In one embodiment, the reflector is rotatable about the rotation axis between a first limit position wherein the reflector normal axis is substantially collinear with the feed axis and a second limit position corresponding to the reference position; whereby the reflector surface allows transmission of the electromagnetic signal between the feed source or image thereof and the target; the reflector being pivoted about the rotation axis between the first and second limit positions so that the reflected electromagnetic signal, when pointing at the target, defines the coverage region with a generally sectorial configuration.
Typically, the antenna further includes a second rotating means for rotating the reflector about the feed axis, the reflector being rotatable between a first azimuth position and a second azimuth position; whereby the reflector is pivoted about the rotation axis between the first and second limit positions and about the feed axis between the first and second azimuth positions so that the reflected electromagnetic signal, when pointing at the target, defines the coverage region with a generally partially conical configuration and the region peripheral edge with a generally arc-shaped line configuration.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for transmitting an electromagnetic signal between a fixed feed source or image thereof and a target moving within an antenna coverage region, the electromagnetic signal having a gain varying with the position of the target within the coverage region according to a predetermined signal gain profile thereacross, the coverage region defining a region peripheral edge, the method comprises the steps of positioning a reflector relative to the feed source or image thereof for reflecting the electromagnetic signal between the feed source or image thereof and the target, the reflector defining a reflector surface, the reflector surface defining a focal point, a reflector center point and a reflector normal axis substantially perpendicular to the reflector surface at the reflector center point, the reflector center point and the focal point being spaced relative to each other by a focal point-to-center point distance, the reflector center point and the feed source or image thereof being spaced relative to each other by a feed-to-center point distance along a feed axis, the feed-to-center point distance being substantially equal to the focal point-to-center point distance, the reflector normal axis and the feed axis defining a common offset plane; rotating the reflector about a rotation axis extending generally perpendicularly from the offset plane in a position generally adjacent the reflector center point so that the antenna provides a nominal signal gain profile over the coverage region, the reflector defining a reference position wherein the focal point substantially intersects the feed axis and corresponding to a nominal signal gain being substantially maximum with the electromagnetic signal substantially pointing at the region peripheral edge; and altering the nominal signal gain profile so that the latter matches the predetermined signal gain profile; whereby the reflector in combination with the gain altering means are rotatable about the rotation axis so as to steer the electromagnetic signal according to the predetermined signal gain profile at the target moving across the coverage region.
Typically, the method further includes the step of rotating the reflector about the feed axis, the reflector being rotatable between a first azimuth position and a second azimuth position; whereby the reflector is pivoted about the rotation axis and about the feed axis between the first and second azimuth positions so that the reflected electromagnetic signal, when pointing at the target, defines the coverage region with a generally partially conical configuration and the region peripheral edge with a generally arc-shaped line configuration.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.